


Chaperone

by ddagent



Series: Professor Gold Series [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Rescue, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-31
Updated: 2012-05-31
Packaged: 2017-11-06 08:51:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/417024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddagent/pseuds/ddagent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Professor Gold is not a romantic. He’s just falling head over heels for his favourite student and will do anything to keep her safe. That’s all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chaperone

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters, or its settings - all belongs to the lovely folks at ABC.
> 
> So, this is the long awaited sequel to ‘Teacher’s Pet’. I’ve done my usual edits but as the epic 3pirouette pointed out - I’m still on University editing mode and am making myself miserable by trying to make it completely perfect. So I am hoping that no one is disappointed, that it is okay and no one hates me for writing this sequel. So there we go. I’m going to go curl up in a ball now. Thanks to 3pirouette for your help, you have kept me sane. On with the fic!

"So...when do you head back to Maine?"

 

Gold watched Belle look up from her place on his shoulder. Her hand had been running up and down his chest, stroking the bare skin there. Before he ventured out of his office he would need to do up the now rumpled purple shirt. Not that he thought he would be standing up very soon: Belle had tired him out. His little Belle had a wicked streak to her. There were hickeys in places that would make even Belle's roommate blush.

 

She rested her hand over his heart as she replied. The tips of her fingers brushed his gold spinning wheel. "Sunday morning," she sighed. "Are you going to miss me?"

 

He pressed a kiss to the top of her brown curls. She had no idea how much he would miss her, how much she had changed his life since she had straddled him all those weeks ago. Gold remembered all too clearly the loneliness he had been enveloped by. Now he had the sun resting over his heart.

 

"It's going to be a hard three months," he smiled faintly as he stroked her hair. "Promise me you won't fall in love with any small town football stars when you're gone?"

 

Belle looked at him and smiled before shaking her hair, tossing her curls. "I promise that you're the only one who I..." the rest of her sentence was left unsaid.

 

Gold moved his hand over to her face, cupping her cheek gently. His thumb ran over her bottom lip, parting them gently. He watched as those gorgeous blue eyes of hers closed as she awaited his kiss. He wasn't one to keep his girl waiting. Gold pressed his mouth where his thumb had been only moments before. She parted her lips properly, allowing him to take all of her, moaning when his teeth teased her skin. He stroked her jaw with his hand as his lips travelled to her neck. He pressed his mouth over her pulse point, and felt her heart beat under his tongue.

 

"So this is the last time we're going to see each other for three whole months?" Gold asked, murmuring the words against her neck. He felt her wrap her arms around his shoulders in comfort, needing his touch. He gave in to her, holding her.

 

"I guess it is."

 

It didn't have to be. He'd known this day was coming, the day when his Belle would return back to her idiot father for three months. He had intended, after class, to pour Belle a cup of tea and ask her to spend the night with him, a proper night together. But her tongue had started flicking at his ear lobe and when her hands had attacked his shirt he was powerless to resist. She deserved more than a quick fuck on a threadbare sofa. She deserved the world.

 

"You okay, love?" Belle asked, slipping her hands into his long hair.

 

He nodded before moving her hands into his own. He pressed his mouth to the knuckles of one and then the other. "Belle...how about tonight, after you've packed, I pick you up from your dorm room and then you come back to mine? I cook us dinner..." He kissed her hands again, smiling as he did so. "Then I seduce you."

 

Belle giggled, but he could see in her eyes that it wouldn't be a yes. "I have to work tonight."

 

"No you don't." Gold moved his arms to wrap around Belle's waist, pushing her further into his body. "You need to come to my house and be thoroughly seduced."

 

She bowed her head and smirked at him. She wanted to say yes, but there was something holding her back. "I need to work, love. Just one more shiftand then I can help Dad with the rent this month."

 

"He needs to move that bloody flower shop, not rely on his daughter to take care of him."

 

Belle clasped his face and kissed his cheek. "I love that you know he needs to move that damn flower shop." She kissed him on the mouth this time, harder. "I need to go back to my dorm room or Ruby will kill me." He watched Belle stare at him, stroke his cheeks. It was if she was trying to memorise his face. "See you in three months."

 

"Bye, love."

 

Her kiss was soft over his lips, the ghost of a last kiss. He watched her slip on her leather jacket, watched her push those chocolate curls out of the collar. With one hand on the door, Belle blew him a kiss. And then she was gone. Three months without Belle. They would be hell. He just hoped that in September she would come back to him.

 

X

 

"I think I'm in trouble."

 

"I would say definitely say so."

 

Gold looked up at Mae, owner of _The Sleeping Beauty,_ the main student bar at Fabler. She had been listening to him ramble on about his relationship with Belle for the last half an hour, his pint of beer slowly descending as he went. Ah well - he needed someone to talk to and she was his closest friend. Probably his only friend.

 

Sighing into his half empty pint, he picked up his tale again. "I wanted our last night to be special, you know? Not in my office, not in some hotel room twenty miles out of town. Something nice."

 

Mae leant over the bar, her blonde hair falling in a long ponytail to her waist. She was smirking at him. "I never thought I would see the day that Professor Gold became a romantic."

 

He glared at her, trying to scare her into an apology but he knew it wouldn't work with Mae. She was tough, bowed down to no one. Once upon a time she had even been friends with Dean Mills, but that relationship had ended on a bad note. Now the glare had gone and she was just laughing at him.

 

"I'm not a romantic, Mae. Not wishy washy roses for every day we've been together crap." He downed the rest of his pint. "She makes me happy, though. I can't remember the last time I've been this happy."

 

Mae took his glass and went to get him a fresh one. "I can't remember either." She grinned at him. "You've even stopped whacking the students who use the juke box with your cane."

 

Gold smirked. When he was with Belle, he didn't feel like a crippled old professor, but a young man in love who still had his whole future ahead of him. It was better than the truth, that he had wasted his previous chance at happiness and lost everything. With Belle, he had a fresh start. He was falling in love with her, of that he was sure. Although she deserved better than him, he could try and give her what she needed.

 

"Hey Mae!"

 

Gold turned to see a leggy brunette stalk her way up to the bar. Her black skirt was too short; her red shirt was tied in a knot in front of her and with it all came an air of confidence that Gold envied. Mae seemed to know her and immediately started pouring her a coke. She seemed to be about Belle's age, although his lover would never show so much skin in public. It was the sort of thing that Belle was always complaining about Ruby doing.

 

"Hey Ruby, glad to be free?"

 

He nearly choked on his new pint as the girl - Ruby - nodded eagerly. There was a strong chance it _could_ be Belle's roommate. She certainly matched Belle's description - dressed inappropriately but she had a genuine heart. When she briefly met his eyes, her smile was bright and sincere. Not like some of the other scantily clad little tarts on campus. 

 

Gold watched Mae and Ruby talk. His old friend was especially nice to her, acting like a parent rather than as a friend. It wasn't surprising, really. Mae's daughter Rory was about Ruby's age, although she was currently on the other side of the country with her father and her stepmother. Gold believed that the last time Mae had seen Rory was on her sixteenth birthday. A long time not to see a child, a feeling he knew all too well.

 

"Mae, I have come here under false pretences." Mae shook her head. "I need a favour."

 

"What is it Ruby?"

 

"I need you to give Belle this evening off."

 

He tried to act nonchalant about the whole thing. If he suddenly took an interest in their conversation, Mae would know something was up. She couldn't know that he was seeing a student, especially if said student worked for her.

 

"And why should I give her the night off?" Mae teased. Gold could tell she would do it, though. She was that sort of woman. "The girl needs the money; she's always coming in complaining about how she needs extra shifts because of her Dad."

 

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, he could feel her eyes on him. He may have mentioned that Belle had been working to earn money for her father and his stupid shop. Their eyes met for one brief moment, and Gold immediately returned to drinking his pint. Ruby was still talking, that gave him some time to make up an excuse.

 

"Belle has not had a break all semester. She's been putting in tons of hours and I want to take her out to this epic party the Hades' fraternity are throwing. _Please_ Mae?"

 

Belle was her own woman; she could do what she liked. The sting of her rejection of his evening plans had been soothed by the knowledge that she had to work. And if she wanted to go out with Ruby instead, then he would just have to accept that. She was young, after all. But the jealous monster dug into his chest and forced images of his sweet, beautiful Belle on her back for some sweaty member of the football team to the front of his mind.

 

He wanted Mae to say no. But that wasn't going to happen. "She can have the night off." Ruby squealed. Enjoy yourselves, both of you."

 

Gold turned to watch Ruby blow Mae a kiss before bouncing out of the bar. He braced himself for the onslaught of questions that was sure to follow - and for Mae's protective side to come out over one of the girls who worked at her bar. He waited, and was rewarded with the rest of Ruby's coke being poured over the top of his head.

 

X

 

"I always have mixed feelings about this time of year," Professor Archie Hopper declared much later that night as he took a sip of his cider. "I'm glad that the kids are moving on and starting their own lives, but I'm going to miss them."

 

Gold, now wearing a white shirt from the spare set in his car, shook his head. "I'm glad some of the little bastards are leaving."

 

Archie sighed and rested a hand on Gold's shoulder, a mistake he didn't make long. "I'm sure you'll be like this next year. You're quite fond of your junior's, aren't you?"

 

He heard Mae snort, but he just shrugged. "One or two."

 

The ethics Professor was harmless. A good listener, and if Gold didn't know in his heart that Archie would go straight to Dean Mills and tell her about him and Belle, Gold would have talked over his issues with him. Still, having meaningless discussion with the professor wasn't that bad. Although Mae was still skulking around, wanting to find out exactly _how_ he had ended up in bed with one of his students.

 

However she was out of luck. That was a story just between him and his Belle.

 

"He got that shit from Doc Facilier? Shit, what the fuck is Greg up to?"

 

Gold watched Archie's back straighten, and he was pretty sure that his had done the same. Mae had her back turned to the two young men talking at the edge of the bar, but he could see she was on alert too. Doc Facilier ran a club downtown that was more like a graveyard rave. He was also known in certain circles as a drug dealer - three students had died from overdoses in the last year alone. Facilier had dirt on _someone_ to keep his ass from jail.  

 

"Greg's pissed at his ex - you know that hot history major who wouldn't fuck him?" Belle. They could only be talking about Belle and that slimy cretin that she had once pitied with her presence.  Gold felt sick. "Anyway, she let her professor break his nose and it's like he's dishonoured, you know? So Greg's thinking that he maybe slips something in her drink, takes her back to his place...I think Kev and Jason were talking about joining in too."

 

 

 

Gold moved to rise, but Archie held his hand down, putting pressure over his knuckles. He needed to go, he needed to do _something_. But Archie held him in place, held him until the boys left talking about heading to the Hades fraternity to watch the fireworks. Once they were gone, Gold slammed back from the bar so fast his stool fell to the floor.

 

"Mae, can I use your phone?" Archie asked. "I'm going to call Officer Swan, make sure she knows what's going on."

 

She nodded, but didn't seem too enthusiastic about the prospect. "You can try, Archie. But every house on Greek Row is having a party tonight and I will bet you twenty bucks that their line is packed with prank phone calls and tons of other shit."

 

Archie shrugged his shoulders. "I have to try, Mae."

 

While the ethics professor went to Mae's office to make the call, Gold pulled his own phone out and tried to dial Belle's number. Even if he ended up sounding like a jealous idiot on the phone, he needed to let her know what was going on.

 

"Pick up, Belle. Pick up!" he begged into the phone, but it went straight to voicemail. _Shit_. She would be okay, she had to be.

 

He felt Mae's hands slide over his own, calming him. "She probably can't hear it; the Hades assholes play their music so loud they've had environmental complaints. I know you dislike Officer Swan." That was an understatement. They didn't have the...best relationship. "But you have to trust her to deal with this."

 

"They can't."

 

Both Gold and Mae turned to Archie. The normally optimistic professor looked crestfallen. "Apparently there was a stabbing outside the Aphrodite sorority and unless they get more than two drunk college kids mouthing off...they can't spare the people."

 

"Maybe we should just call the police?" He heard Archie ask.

 

"Yeah, because the parties going on off campus are going to be cheese and crackers. They're going to say the exact same thing."

 

Gold took a moment to think. Campus police were busy, Belle couldn't hear her phone. He had never been a particular brave man, but he tried to be a good man. Well, an alright man. He couldn't let Greg do this to Belle, and even if he was just mouthing off, Gold hoped he would get brownie points for caring enough to break into a frat house to rescue her.

 

"Alright Mae, I'm off. See you tomorrow."

 

He ignored Mae yelling at him to come back. He needed to make sure she was okay. Putting the weight on his cane, Gold stumbled towards the door. He'd bring his Cadillac round and drive straight to Greek Row. Find Belle, tell her what was going down and hopefully do all that before she got near her slobbering ex.

 

Just as he reached the exit, he found a hand on his shoulder. It was Archie, and this time his hand didn't move "Mae's calling in a replacement. I can't sit here and watch this happen, and neither can she." Archie patted his shoulder. "The girl they were talking about, she's one of your students. Belle French, right?" Gold nodded. "You care about her, don't you?"

 

"I do Archie. I really do."

 

X

 

"I _hate_ students."

 

The Hades frat house was at the end of Greek Row, a frat house noted for its elaborate and dangerous schemes, wild parties and the rape convictions of two of its former brothers. Currently, several drunken idiots were smoking marijuana from the top floor; two sorority girls in bikinis were leading a few men to the uncovered hot tub and one of the library staff had passed out in the garden.

 

Gold just shook his head. Belle had wanted to come to _this_?

 

Mae was mapping out their plan of attack. "We can't go through the front door, so me and Archie will climb up the trellis and try and find Belle. Gold...you stay here and look pretty."

 

The glare match returned. Archie just shook his head. The ethics professor, honorary guidance counsellor and generally good man began to climb the trellis to break into the frat house. Mae joined him, making sure to avoid the thorns of the rose bush growing up the side. Gold watched as Archie peered inside to make sure no one was around before Mae shoved him headfirst into the house.

 

Gold wasn't very good at waiting. He knew this was for the best; he could hardly climb up the trellis with his cane. He tried Belle one last time, but there was still no answer. Oh well, best to go in and save his girl. Mae could yell at him later when Belle was safe and not drugged.

 

Inside the main house it was more of the same - kegs on tap, line of shots by the bar, couples of all predilections with their tongues down each other's mouths. Gold was happy to note a large bowl of condoms right next to a tray of congealed nachos - Archie's Safe Sex policy seemed to be working out well. Moving into the main foyer, Gold tried to catch sight of Belle but it was difficult. There were too many damn drunken students.

 

Eventually, after being offered a joint and two beers, Gold headed towards the patio and saw Ruby dancing. Ducking past two students chugging down pints, Gold finally caught sight of Belle. She was wearing jeans that Gold definitely appreciated, and a blue backless top that made his fingers itch. She was having pained conversation with the lecherous man _leaning_ in to her. He was the only one who could lean into her!  

 

Belle's eyes shifted away from her current companion and turned towards where he was currently standing. They widened when she saw him, her bottom lip hanging open. She made her apologies to the degenerate she was talking to and practically ran to his side.

 

"Professor..." She wasn't happy. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?"

 

She was upset. He could understand that. She obviously thought that he was spying on her. He may be a jealous man, but he knew that Belle had to have a life. However, he was being a good boyfriend and his normal snappy tone - the one he never used with Belle - came out.

 

"Well dearie, if you answered your phone instead of leaving it to voicemail I may have been able to call you and inform you that your ex boyfriend piece of scum intends to drug your drink and have his way with you. Sorry for interrupting your party, Ms French."

 

He hated himself. He hated that he was allowing that dark part of him to come out in her presence. He turned on his cane, but Belle's hands shot out and grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket. She ran a hand down his chest.

 

"Love, I..." She shook her head at him. "What the hell is going on?"

 

Gold opened his mouth to start talking about what had gone on in the bar when a voice that sounded all too familiar rang out. "BELLE!"

 

They both turned to see Greg come out from the patio doors. He was holding a couple of drinks, and Gold's hand immediately tightened around his cane. Greg didn't seem too impressed to see him with Belle, but that was too bad. He was not leaving Belle, not now.

 

"Grandpa." Greg smirked at him. He wore that letterman jacket like armour, that smirk like a helmet. But he had no sword. "I assume you're here to chaperone the Hades party. Unless Belle asked you here as her date."

 

A couple of Greg's football playing buddies started laughing with their leader. Gold stood his ground, making sure to place his cane in front of him. Greg's eyes were drawn to it - the idiot remembered what he had done to him with it last time. "No no, just here to remind Ms French of the university's policy on accepting drinks from unscrupulous degenerates. Never know what someone might put in there."

 

Greg took a step forward. He gave the drinks he held to one of his lieutenants, his hands then balling into fists. Gold, too, took a step forward. Belle, unsurprisingly, got between them.

 

"Greg, back off. I'm not interested in you, and I would really appreciate it if you stopped trying to intimidate my professor!"

 

"Whatever, Belle." The football player then pushed Belle out of the way forcefully, knocking her to the ground. Mae and Ruby rushed behind the other students and helped Belle up. She didn't appear hurt, which was lucky for the chump in front of him. If he had bruised her...well, it wouldn't have been pretty for Greg either.

 

"Mae?" His old friend lifted her head. "Would you mind driving Ms French back to her dorm room? The party doesn't seem to be a safe environment for her."

 

"Sure thing."

 

Mae and Ruby walked with Belle away from the patio, and Gold could feel his lover's eyes on him. She didn't want to go, she wanted to stop what she knew would happen. It was out of her hands now. Greg would only keep trying to get Belle back. But she wasn't his to have. Not anymore.

 

When he was sure Belle was gone, Gold punched Greg straight in the nose, knocking him to the floor. Just like he had done Belle. "Oh dear, I seem to have broken your nose again. Maybe that will teach you not to hit women."

 

The party still raged on around them, a lot of the students too drunk, stoned or involved to care what was going on between the captain of the football team and a history professor. Maybe tomorrow, when the story got round, people would regret not paying attention. Maybe the video that one of his friends was taking would go viral. But he didn't care. All he cared about was Belle.

 

Gold took his cane high in his hand as he stood over Greg. He didn't care if he got in trouble with Regina or with Officer Swan for this. All he cared about was Belle's safety, and with this lug threatening to rape her and even laying a hand on her...well that brought out the beast in him. He put the tip of his cane over Greg's throat, digging in.

 

"Do you realise what would have happened if you had drugged Ms French, Greg? That precious career of yours kicking around a bit of rubber would be gone." He moved the cane away from his throat. "I've done you a favour, boy. Now what do you say?"

 

The little shit kicked out with his feet, knocking him off them and collapsing him to the grass. Greg kicked the cane away from his hand and promptly slammed his foot in his side. There were a couple of cheers from his football playing buddies, but all Gold could focus on was the pain. Greg kicked him again, and he heard bone break. Then the side of his face felt on fire.

 

With him hissing in pain, Greg crouched down in front of him, spitting blood onto his white shirt. "Are you in love with her, Grandpa? Sweet, innocent little thing, wearing her short skirts to class. She's got a bit of a kick to her but she's precious." Greg grabbed him by his collar and dragged him to meet his eyes. "Do you think kicking my ass will help? Do you honestly think she'd want you when she's had someone like me?"

 

Gold spat back in his face. "Key word there is 'had'."

 

Greg raised his fist, preparing to knock Gold flat out. He thought of Belle, hoped that Mae would keep her tucked away from this bastard's rage until she was safe in Storybrooke. But the punch didn't come; instead it was Greg who cried out. Gold looked up to see that his cane had been forced harshly against the football player's hand, no doubt breaking a couple of bones.

 

He looked up to see Archie standing over him. He - his friend offered him his hand. Gold took it. "Archie. Thought you didn't believe in violence."

 

Archie placed his arm around his shoulders so he could take the weight off of his knee. The professor smiled at him. "I don't, but I couldn't stand by and let that asshole beat you up. Let's get you home."

 

Gold nodded at that. They left Greg behind to curse on the floor and together they moved into the frat house. As they entered the foyer, Ruby appeared and took Gold's other arm to help with the weight. One of his ribs was definitely broken, but that didn't matter. "Where's Belle?"

 

Ruby turned to him, smiling faintly. "Mae took her back to her place, didn't want her back at the dorm room tonight. I'm staying with Jefferson and August down the hall." She looked so sad. "I'm so sorry for this Professor Gold, I feel like this is all my fault."

 

On the other side of him, Archie shook his head. "It's not your fault. Greg made his choice; any blame for this awful situation is on him. Not on you."

 

Gold felt himself in the middle of something as he saw Belle's young roommate smile at Archie. That genuine smile was back, and Gold was amused to see that his...his friend was beaming back at her. They exited the house and Gold rested against the cab it seemed Mae had called and paid for. Ruby handed him his cane before immediately turning back to Archie. The professor rested his hand on the back of his neck, not sure how to talk to the pretty girl in front of him.

 

"You were incredible back there," Ruby admitted. "Not many people stand up to Greg, it's only been Belle before. But that was so brave."

 

Archie flushed. "It was nothing, really. I just...I couldn't let him get away with what he was doing. I hate it when those pumped up football players get away with murder just because they kick a ball around."

 

The young woman grinned at him. "I know exactly what you mean. You were a real hero."

 

The man with the broken ribs decided he'd had enough and waved goodbye to them both. Sitting in the cab, Gold sighed. Belle was safe, that was all that mattered. The broken hero needed to rest. The standing hero needed to be careful. God forbid all the girls in that dorm room started dating professors.

 

X

 

His house was located just outside of the town, overlooking the park. Cost a fortune, but it was worth it. Holding his chest, Gold stumbled up the steps with his cane. Inside, the place was dark and cold.

 

Gold leant against the doorway, looking into the kitchen from the hall. He could dream Belle sitting at the table, wearing something she had bought specially for the dinner he had planned. He'd be trying too hard, with a slightly overcooked meal and a wine that wasn't quite right but was too expensive to waste. But she would be holding his hand and telling him it was perfect. Then he could just imagine reaching over and cupping her jaw to kiss her.

 

"Maybe in the fall."

 

Stumbling up the stairs, Gold had to hold in every breath to stop screaming. Archie would deal with Officer Swan and if she had any problems with stopping that little bastard from date raping Belle, then she could come over here and yell at him in person. Eventually he made it to his bedroom, pressing his forehead against the cool wood of the door. Noticing something off, he looked up to see a note taped there. He recognised the handwriting as Mae's.

 

_Take care of your girl, you romantic you x_

 Cursing Mae, he used his cane to push open his bedroom door. There was Belle, tangled in a worried sleep. She was wrapped up in his sheets, wearing his shirt. No place safer than here. He blew her a kiss from the doorway and went to hobble next door. He would let his lover sleep.

 

X

 

He supposed he should have woken her up earlier, but Gold couldn't stop watching Belle sleep. She seemed so peaceful lying in his bed. But she probably still had packing to do, and they did have things to talk about. He had an apology to make. Moving gingerly over to his bed, he pressed a kiss to his lover's temple.

 

"Belle, love."

 

She stirred in the bed, and Gold had the pleasure to watch her wake up for the first time. It was adorable. She screwed her eyes tight at first before opening to him, the bright blue returning to their normal clarity. Belle grinned against the bed covers, huddling herself further in his sheets. He stroked the chocolate curls he loved.

 

"You're not dead."

 

Gold chuckled. "No, love, I'm not dead."

 

She shifted in the sheets, throwing both her arms around his neck. She was just wearing underwear under his shirt, but the paltry cotton left her thighs in full view as she clung to him. He hissed when she caught his sore rib.

 

Pulling back, Belle looked alarm. "Not dead but injured! What did Greg do to you?"

 

Gold stroked her face. "Broke a rib. But between me and Archie we broke his hand and nose."

 

Belle attacked the buttons of his shirt, trying to get a better look at his bruising. Gold reached for her hands, dragging them up to his face. He kissed the insides of both her wrists. She looked so worried when it really should be the other way round. "Are _you_ alright, love? I was terrified he was going to hurt you."

 

Belle snuggled against him. "I'm _fine_. Mae dragged me out of the party and filled me in before taking me here so I could see you first thing." She kissed the underside of his jaw, noting with a wrinkle of her nose that that was bruised too. "I can't believe he would try and do that. _Thank you_ for being so decent when I was so awful."

 

"How were you awful?" Gold chided, tapping her on the nose. "I was...mean."

 

"I shouldn't have gone to the party." She looked truly upset. "I couldn't talk Ruby out of it without telling her that I was seeing someone. It was absolutely awful, though. Would much rather have been here with you."

 

"You have a life, Belle, I understand that." As long as she shared parts of that life with him, he was happy. "All that matters is that you're safe. That is the only thing that matters to me. We can have dinners other nights. As long as I'm forgiven for what I said..."

 

She put her finger on his lip. "There is nothing to forgive. You came to my rescue, like I could do anything but love you after that."

 

He decided not to take up her words, deciding it was too early for that conversation. So they kissed instead, lips overlapping and moans filling his bedroom. Once they broke away, he watched Belle take in his bedroom in the daylight. The large four poster bed they were currently entangled in he had restored himself, he had even built the bookcases set into the wall. Gold smiled as she left his side - still only wearing his shirt - to peruse his collection.

 

For a moment he could dream that it was like any other Saturday morning and he and Belle were getting ready to spend the day together. But his sore ribs ruined the moment. "I need to get my pills. Be right back."

 

In the bathroom he took his time to find them. _They were okay._ He was forgiven for his words, and she had apologised for going to the party - something that the jealous, childish part of him had to admit he was glad to hear. New relationships were full of little hiccups, and as they moved out of fucking in his office and spending long hours in the library over coffee, there would be more and more.

 

At the doorway of his bedroom, Gold noticed a bra and panties carelessly lying there. Snorting, he opened the door and returned to Belle. She was under the covers, just in his shirt. Gold wanted to do nothing more in that moment than kiss her and never let her go. "Lost something, dearie?"

 

"Found something."

 

He let himself be dragged to the bed, Belle's tongue swiping over his lips, wanting to take him again. "Stop, love. Need a glass of water."

 

Pouring a glass on his bedside table, Gold swallowed the pills that would help him survive the next day with his knee, a bruised jaw and a broken rib. He was used to pain. What he wasn't used to was Belle's teeth dragging slowly over his ear lobe. Groaning, she moved backward and placed a feather light kiss behind his ear. "Belle..."

  
"You said you wanted to cook me a meal and then seduce me," she began. Her hands moved over his chest, ghost movements so as not to cause him any pain. "I'm not hungry, but I _really_ want to seduce you. You've earned it."

 

"Belle..."

 

His brunette shook her head, brown curls spilling onto his chest as she curled up behind him. Her fingers ran down his throat, moved over his lips. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't have been my hero. I..." She nuzzled him. "I've never felt so adored than when I'm with you. I want to show you how you make me feel."

 

He couldn't argue with that.

 

Gold let himself be pushed to the bed sheets, tried to ignore the voice in the back of his head saying that he should be devoting this time to her. But the idea of her pleasuring him in whatever way she saw fit...now that was an idea he liked. Belle lay over his good side, white shirt contrasting with the black one he currently wore. She toyed with the buttons, toyed with _him,_ really. Closing her eyes, his lover kissed him softly on the mouth. Her lips pulled back, then took his bottom lip between her teeth. When he opened to her, her tongue slowly traced along his before following a path along his jaw. Her kisses turned softer as she massaged his bruised skin.

 

"You've got quite a collection of books," Belle sighed as she pressed her lips to his neck. She was going to mark him, he could feel it. Like the bruises caused by her ex hadn't announced to the world his feelings already.

 

He could feel the pressure at his neck and just gave in to it. One of his hands pressed against the back of her thigh, but she didn't push it away. Good. He wanted to touch her a little, even if it was to just anchor himself.

 

"I like books, love. You know that."

 

She nodded. Her mouth moved to his chest now. He couldn't get enough of the sight of those curls spilling like a waterfall over his chest. Gold had dreamt about those curls, had imagined sinking his hands into them, fantasised about moving them out of the way to attack her neck. She pressed a kiss just below his spinning wheel necklace, his good luck charm. Belle even poked her tongue through the spokes, making him hiss at how the metal felt on wet skin. She was torturing him, but he never wanted it to stop.

 

"The book you're currently reading, I knocked it to the floor by accident."

 

He didn't care about the book; he'd find his place or reread the damn thing again. He was more focussed on Belle now straddling his lower waist, hands reaching over to undo his shirt buttons. Only three or four held his shirt on her, and he felt his cock grow hard at the sight of her escaping the thin fabric. He lifted his hips and Belle moaned softly as he rubbed against her.  The things she did to him, she had no idea how hard he had fallen for her, how much he wanted her.

 

Something cool landed on his chest. Looking down, Gold could see it was his bookmark. A photograph he had taken of Belle their last field trip to the museum. He had been taking shots of the exhibits, he hadn't realised until he had got home with the photographs that Belle took up most of the shot. It was a beautiful picture, one he had...stared at a great deal.

 

"I don't know what to say, Belle," Gold whispered. "Are you mad?"

 

She shook her head, giggling. "For an entire month I kept a photograph I took of you on that trip as my laptop screensaver. I didn't think I would ever..."

 

"I didn't think I would ever too, love."  Gold rested his weight on one of his hands as he moved his upper body to hers. His free hand caressed her cheek while his lips melded into hers. She moaned against his mouth. "But we're here, we care about each other. _Let's indulge_."

 

"I definitely am."

 

He was pushed back to the bed sheets as Belle kissed along his chest. The photo was lost in the mess of his bedroom, but he didn't care. He had more than a fantasy now, he had reality. Belle's mouth was nuzzling his taped up broken rib, trying not to put any real pressure against it. She could poke at it for all he cared as long as she wore that look of devotion she was wearing now.

 

Gold watched Belle's tongue dart out to flick at his nipples. She got braver and used the flat side across the whole thing, making him groan. The cold air puckered the nipple immediately, and Belle giggled. She did the same to the other one before tugging at it with her teeth. Her tongue moved slowly back down his chest again. Belle swiped at his abdomen with her tongue; making him moan her name in the thickest brogue he had heard this side of the Atlantic. She was enjoying herself, he was harder than he ever thought possible.

 

He could fall in love with this woman, if he hadn't already.

 

Her hands moved to his tented pyjama bottoms and she dragged them down. All that was left was shirts. Belle's hands lingered on his thighs, spreading him out. Gold swallowed harshly as Belle leaned forward and used that devilish tongue of hers to run under his cock. He groaned as her mouth swirled around the head. His bruised fingers tightened in the sheets, wanting to grip onto her harder than he ever had before, wanting to touch her and make her feel this way. When he looked down, his girl was beaming at him. This was making her proud, being able to reduce him to this.

 

She sucked on the head of his cock for a while, fingers delicately tracing his name and hers entwined on the skin of his erect shaft and bare thighs. Just as he was getting used to the pleasure - a fine pressure against his skin - Belle reached over and took him whole in her mouth. Her teeth grazed him on her way out and he rolled his eyes so far he thought he saw stars. He wasn't going to last much longer.  

 

"Belle..." he groaned, giving up on gripping the bed sheets. Only she would give him satisfaction.

 

Her fingers massaged his broken knee, teasing the scar tissue there. She knew the spots that soothed him. "How do you want this, love?" A curious expression crossed over Belle's face and he knew that being inside her was postponed for another moment. "You know, I don't actually know your first name. You like hearing me shout _Gold_ and for me to beg _Professor_...what's your actual first name, love?"

 

He could feel his hair sticking to his forehead, his breathing ragged. "Not important. I need you, Belle. Need you, _please_."

 

He was begging, but he didn't care. Belle's nails scraped over his thighs. "Is it Anthony? Lucas?" She moved her hands to her chest, undoing another button. Only two were holding the damn thing together and he could see her aroused form through the fabric. He wanted her naked and pressed against him. "Jonathon? Maybe even..."

 

" _ANDREW!"_ He spat, his breathing harsh. "My first name is Andrew, but I hate it. Love, Belle. _Please."_

Grinning, his love moved forward on her hands and knees. He moaned as she rolled a condom on him, enjoying the feeling of her hands on his cock. He would not be telling Archie about _this_ use of his safe sex policy. That was his last thought before Belle sunk down on his cock. He howled when he felt how wet she was around him. She squeezed him tight before grabbing his hands and placing them on her hips. Belle tilted her head back and moaned as he helped her move up and down him. They shared a bright smile as she concentrated on pleasuring him, moving her hips to get the right angle. He was content to watch the view - the sight of him inside Belle would be enough to make him come alone.

 

The pressure was building up in him quickly; his hands were trembling on Belle's hips. One of her own moved between them and he watched for a moment as she pinched and stroked her clit, moaning his name as she felt him thrust inside of her. She loved this, loved them together. At that moment, he just couldn't take it any longer. He screamed her name as his climax swallowed him, and he realised for the first time since they had begun this that he could do that. He kept hollering her name, kept thrusting inside her until he was spent against the sheets.

 

Moments later, Gold felt Belle come around him. His side was hurting, but when his lover curled against his good side it didn't seem to matter. She was grinning lazily at him, and he sighed as she pressed a kiss to his chest. He tucked his arm around her, holding her close.

 

"Now that was a good send off."

 

He felt her smile against his neck, kissing the good side of his jaw. "I think this is just the beginning."

 

X

 

Belle was doing the washing up in his kitchen. She was wearing a plain black t-shirt usually worn under his suits, and her jeans from the night before. He was in jeans himself; a crisp blue shirt fresh from the airing cupboard adorning his back. His skin still felt sore, although all the places Belle had kissed were currently balancing out the pain.  

 

"Mae's coming to get you in an hour, take you back to see Ruby," he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I am going to miss you so much, love."

 

"I'm going to miss you too, Andrew."

 

He groaned at the name, pushing his head against Belle's neck. "Please don't, love. People have always called me either Andy, or Drew. I much prefer Gold."

 

"It is a precious name," Belle teased, both of them laughing at her bad joke. These moments he would remember forever. Even if come September things were over, he would still remember their time together fondly.

 

She dried her hands from the washing up and he took them in his own. He was going to miss her so much; he didn't know how he would cope. "You'll take care of yourself back home, won't you? Enjoy yourself; don't let your father work you too hard."

 

Belle nodded and pressed her forehead against his collarbone. "It's going to be awful, I can just feel it. Caught up in his debts, working double hours at that damn shop. He'll come up with another one of his crazy schemes to make money, I'm sure." She looked up at him. "I love him, but I think I may need to stop bailing him out. I can't believe I came so close to dropping out of school."

 

"But you didn't, you're here, and you're with me." He kissed her. "Talk to your father, and remember I'm only a call away if you ever need me."

 

"I wish you could be there."

 

That was when a thought took hold of him. A silly little thought, dancing in front of his eyes. Silly, sentimental. A romantic thought. And he wasn't a romantic, oh no. But he was hers. "Close your eyes."

 

His girl straightened up and blocked out that beautiful blue with her eyelids. Reaching behind his neck, he undid the small gold clasp. He had had the spinning wheel ever since he had been a boy, ever since his father had died. It meant a great deal to him, but then so did Belle. He moved the gold away from his skin and placed it around hers. She gasped at the feel of it, and when he had tightened the clasp he kissed her on the cheek.

 

Opening her eyes, Belle looked down at the golden spinning wheel adorning her neck. "I don't...I don't understand. I can't take this, it's yours."

 

"Little bit of me to take back home with you. I know you'd prefer the whole thing." She glared at him, a glare he could not resist wanting to kiss away. "You can give it back to me when I see you next, love."

 

She rested her hands on his chest. "You're turning into a romantic."

 

He leaned forward. "God forbid."  

 

Their kiss was deep, passionate. Her hands were tight around his neck and he clung onto her waist, needing something to cling _to_. They broke for air briefly, foreheads resting against each other. Maybe in a year they would have been like this, he having finally admitted his feelings on her graduation day. Maybe he wouldn't be facing unemployment if anyone found out. But he wouldn't give this time up with Belle for any reason, wouldn't exchange her smile or the feel of her hands. They would make this work.

 


End file.
